Hosiery-knitting machine.



PATENTED MARQ14, 1905. A M. PIGEON.

HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 27. 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I TIIESSES INVENTOI 1 5* By 2 I Jaflnan/ nronnsr.

PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. A. M. PIGEON. HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1902.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

nvmvron WITNESSES v 19% M PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

A. M. PIGEON. HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27 Illlllll'llllll HHHHIHH N0. 784,882. 'PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

A. M. PIGEON. HOSIERY KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,' 1902.

4 SKEETSSHEET 4.

W/ TNESSES I TTURNEV.

UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

ALBERT M. PIGEON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES S. VVEIERMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

HOSlERY-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,882, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed June 27, 1902. Serial No. 113,505.

T0 rtll whom it Tim/y concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. PIGEON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hosiery- Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to circular-knitting machines of the general type illustrated in United States Patent to Burleigh, dated April 16, 1895. No. 537,802, and to Shaw, dated September 22, 1891, No. 460,038,and many others, and has for its object the knitting on machines of such type of socalled seamless hosiery in colors with white soles or having the sole of the foot ofadifi'erent color from the upper portion of the foot and leg or also of a different weight of yarn, if desired, and also to produce such hosiery in a convenient, rapid, and economical manner.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of a knittingmachine, showing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cam-rings. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a detail taken on line X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a development of the camrings. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar development views showing the cams and needles in different positions. Fig. 7 is a view of a detail, and Fig. 8 is a view of the cam for raising the needles when throwing them out of operation. Fig. 9 is a front view, partly in section, of the mechanism for rotating and reciprocating the cam-cylinder; and Fig. 10 is a side view of the same.

C is the needle-cylinder of the ordinary construction.

a and a are the needles, generally of ordinary construction, but of two lengths, as shown-via, long needles and short needles. Half the needles or such portion as may be desired to knit the sole are short needles, and the rest of the needles intended to knit the upper are long needles, or the long needles may be used for the sole and the'short ones for the upper, if desired. This is a matter of indifference.

By reference to Figs. 5 and 6 it will be seen that the series of long needles begins and ends with a short needle, and the series of short needles begins and ends with a long needle, or, in other words, the two series overlap at each side of the needle-cylinder. This overlapping causes the web for the upper and the web for the sole of the stocking to be joined together in one, as will hereinafter more fully appear. If preferred, the two series of needles may overlap two needles at each side instead of one, which will cause a joint or seam of a slightly different appearance along the side of the foot of the stocking, and this seam may be varied in other ways which will readily suggest themselves, such as suture-needles having two butts, as shown in patents to Shaw, Nos. 450,037 and 460,039, dated September 22, 1891.

A and B are the cam-rings. The lower camring A is similar to the ordinary construction, having the usual bevel-gearing on its lower edge to mesh with the driving-gear Gr. Mounted on top of the cam-ring A is the upper cam-ring B, which is capable of being rotated thereon. This cam-ring B has on its lower edge a rabbet Z1, which is seated on the upper edge of the cam-ring A. An annulus B surrounds the cam-ringBand holds it onto the cam-ring A by means of the cylindrical posts 1' 9' and screws (6 a/ passing through it and into the frame of the machine F.

The two bolts 0 0 pass through the overhanging edge of the cam-ring B on opposite sides and are kept pressed against the side of the cam-ring A by means of the springs s s. On one side of the cam-ring A is a hole or recess lb, into which the bolts 0 c are adapted to fall when brought opposite to it by the rotation of the cam-cylinders relative to each other. A small thumb-lever L is arranged to lift the bolt 0 or 0 out of the recess it whenit is desired to rotate one cam-ring on the other. By pressing the lower end of the lever L the bolt 0 is pushed or lifted out of the recess it, and the cam-ring B is then free from the camring A and may be rotated thereon by hand through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, when the bolt 0 will drop or spring into the recess h and lock the two cam-rings together again in a relatively reversed position.

Y Y are two yarn-carriers of any ordinary construction mounted on opposite sides of the cam-ring B. (Z (Z are the customary sinkers, also of the ordinary construction. It is not necessary to further describe them. The needle-operating cams and f are also of the ordinary form; but there are two sets of them, one set mounted in cam-ring A and the other set mounted in cam-ring B, and owing to the rotatability of one cam-ring upon the other these two sets of needle-operating cams may be fixed in position either on opposite sides of the needle-cylinder C,as shown in Figs. etand 5, or on the same side one above the other, as shown in Fig. 6. These cams operate upon the needles in the ordinary manner.

and l; are cams of the ordinary form for operating the sinkers (Z (Z.

On theoutside of the lower cam-ring A is a small arm I), having a handle m on its lower end and at its upper end fastened to a pivot p, which passes through the side of the camring A and has a pointed earn K fastened to its inner end. The point of the cam K may be raised or lowered by moving the handle m to the right or left.

9 is a stop-pin on the outside of the camring A, which limits the motion of the arm D to the right, its motion to the left being limited by the point of the cam K coming in contact with the upper edge of the cams f.

0 is a spring to hold the arm D and cam K ordinarily in a middle position.

The object of the cam K is to raise the long needles a out of operative position when they are not desired to operate or lower them into operative position again when required. When the point of the cam K is depressed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the butts of the long needles after passing the cams f will ride up over the cam K and then by their own friction in the needle-cylinder will remain up until pressed down again. By raising the point of the cam K (also shown in dotted line in Fig. 6) it will catch the upper edge'of the butts of the long needles and push them down into operative position again. It will be obvious that it is not necessary to hold the point of the cam K either up or 'down during the operation of lowering or raising the longneedles, as after the butts of the first long needles have started under or over the cam K they will hold it in its elevated or depressed position until the entire successive series of butts has passed, when the spring 0 will return it to its normal position.

From the pulley E on the driving-shaft S a belt H runs to the loose pulley I, mounted on shaft V, which is the same shaft on which is mounted the driving-gear G. The belt H may be shifted from the loose pulley I to the tight pulley J by means of an ordinary belt-shifter. (Not shown.) From pulley E,

also mounted on driving-shaft S, a belt H runs to the pulley R, mounted on the short shaft Q, which shaft is furnished with a crank T and connecting-rod U, which operates the sprocket-wheel W, from which a chain P runs to the sprocket-wheel O, which is mounted loosely on the shaft V. Firmly attached to or forming part of the sprocket O is a clutch M, which by means of the clutchshifter N may be shifted on the shaft V into or out of connection with the tight pulley J. This clutch M has a recess 7' in the side thereof into which a spring-boltl in the tight pulley J is adapted to engage, thus causing the pulley J and shaft V to move with the clutch M and sprocket 0 when the clutch M and pulley J are brought into connection, as described. The size of the crank T and connecting-rod U are so adjusted as to give a reciprocating motion to the sprocket W and through the medium of the chain ,P to the sprocket O and clutch M. In the position shown in Fig. 9 the clutch M is supposed to be continuously reciprocating and the pulley I continuously rotating; but the shaft V and the knittingmachine remain still. If the belt H is shifted to the tight pulley J, the shaft V and the knitting-machine will rotate. If, the belt remaining on the loose pulley I, the clutch M is shifted into connection with the pulley J, the shaft V and the knittingmachine will reciprocate.

I will now describe the operation of my improved machine in the making of a black stocking with white sole, although the operation would be the same for any other colors. The cam-ring B being in the position illustrated in Fig. 6, with the two sets of needle-cams on the same side one above the otherthat is, one hundred and eighty degrees from the position shown in Fig. 1-the black yarn is led to the needles through the yarn -carrier Y and the machine is run with a continuous rotary motion, knitting a continuous seamless tubular leg in all respects in the ordinary and well-known manner of other automatic knit ting-machines .of the circular form, except that the upper set of cams e operate the short needles on one side and the lower set of cams f operate the long needles on the other side, the operation of the needles, however, being perfectly continuous, as in ordinary knitting. \Vhen the leg is finished, the machine stops of itself by means of mechanism which is old and well known in the art and which I therefore do not deem it necessary to describe. The handle on and arm D are now pushed to the left, depressing the point of the cam K, and the machine given one turn to throw up the long needles out of operative position. Then the lower end of the lever L is pushed in, throwing the bolt cont of the recess it, when, the upper cam-ring B being held by hand, a turn of the driving-gear (Jr will rotate the lower cam-ring A through an angle ICC of one hundred and eighty degrees until the bolt 0' drops into the recess 7L and the camrings are in the relative position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, and so firmly locked together. If preferred, the driving-gear Gr and cam-ring B may remain stationary and the cam-ring A rotated one hundred and eighty degrees; but I find the method of reversing the cam-rings above described to be the most convenient. The blag yarn is now broken off and the whiteyarn iTeT-tedi'n the yarn-carrier Y and the machine started again, this time with a reciprocating motion. and allowed to knit the heel, using only the short needles a in the ordinary manner, dropping and picking up needles by its automatic mechanism, which I have not deemed it necessary to show here, as the same is old and well known and described in other United States Patents and forms no part of my invention. WVhen the heel is finished, the machine stops again. The arm D is now pushed to the right, raising the point of the cam K, and one turn of the machine forces down again the long needles into operative position. The black yarn is then inserted in yarn-carrier Y, the white yarn still remaining in yarn-carrier Y. The machine is again started and continues its reciprocating motion, as in knitting the heel, but now dropping no needles, and the entire number of both sets of needles knitting each with its own yarn, the lovLeLset of cams operating the long needles with the black yarn on one side of the cylinder, and the upper set of cams simultaneously operating the short needles with the white yarn on the other side of the cylinder. At either side, owing to the overlap of the two series of needles, as above described, a stitch of the white yarn will be omitted and a stitch of the black yarn made in its place, and a stitch of the black yarn will also be omitted and a stitch of the white yarn made in its place, thus causing the two webs to be interlooped and firmly joined together, although being in construction, feel, and, but

for color, in appearance almost exactly simi lar to a single continuous web without noticeable ridge or seam. The toe is knitted in exactly the same manner as the heel. After the stocking is finished the cam-rings are brought back again to their first position for beginning another stocking. The changing of the yarns and the rotating of the cam-rings might readily be made automatic; but I believe, on the whole, the greatest production with the least trouble and least expense for repairs and loss by stoppage will be obtained by performing these operations by hand, to say nothing of the saving in cost of the machines.

l have described my improvement as adapted to what is known as the three-quarterautomatic knitting-machine, in which the machine stops of itself at the end of each successive knitting of the leg, heel, foot, and toe.

\Vhen a full-automatic machine is used, it will have to be equipped with astop-motion to cause it to stop at these points in order to make the described changes in relative position of the two cam-rings. The construction of such a stopmotion is well known in the art and forms no part of my invention, and I do not consider it necessary to describe the same.

Having, as above, fully described my invention and the best method known to me of working the same, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of a circle of needles in two series, a series of long needles on one side of the needle-cylinder and a series of short needles on the opposite side of the needle-cylinder, the two series overlapping one or more needles at each end as may be desired, two sets of needle-actuating cams, one for actuating the long needles and one for actuating the short needles, two cam-rings one vertically over the other forming a cam-cylinder, each ring containing one of the sets of needle-actuating cams and being adjustable upon each other so that the two sets of needle-actuating cams may at will be brought either on the same or opposite sides of the cam-cylinder, means for temporarily fastening the cam-rings in the relative position desired, and means for so operating the machine that the cam-rings may either rotate or reciprocate at will, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of a needle-cylinder, a series of short needles on one side of the needle-cylinder a series of long needles on the opposite side of the needle-cylinder, an overlap of one or more needles at each end where the two series join, a lower cam ring, a set of needle-actuating cams carried by the lower cam -ring and adapted to actuate the long needles, an upper cam-ring vertically over the lower cam-ring and capable of being rotated thereon, a set of needle-actuating cams carried by the upper cam-ring and adapted to actuate the short needles, means for temporarily fastening the two cam-rings together with their cams either Too ITO

onthe same or opposite sides of the needlecylinder as may be desired and means for rotating and reciprocating the cam-rings together, all substantially as shown and described.

3. In a circular-knitting machine the combination of a needle-cylinder, a series of short needles on one side of the needle-cylinder, a series of long needles on the opposite side of the needle-cylinder, a lower camring, a set of needle-actuating cams carried by the lower cam-ring and adapted to actuate the long needles, an upper cam-ring vertically over the lower cam-ring and capable of. rotation thereon, a set of needleactuating cams carried by the upper cam-ring and adapted to actuate ,the short needles, means for temporarily fastening the two cam -rings together with their cams either on the same or opposite sides of the needle-cylinder as may be desired, and means for rotating and reciprocating the cam-rings together, all substantially as shown and described.

4:. In a circularknitting machine, a camcylinder of two parts or rings, one vertically over the other, each carrying a set of needleactuating cams and capable of being temporarily fastened together with the cams either on the same or opposite sides of the can'i-cylinder, in combination with a needle-cylinder containing two series of needles, all the long needles being on one side of the needle-cylinder and all the short needles on the other side of the needle-cylinder, and means for rotating and reciprocating the cam-cylinder.

5. In a circular-knitting machine, a camcylinder in two parts or rings, one vertically over the other, each carrying a set of needleactnating cams and capable of being tempo rarily fastened together with the cams either on the same or opposite sides of the cam-cylinder, in combination with a needle-cylinder containing two sets of needles, long needles on one side and short needles on the opposite side, each series of needles being continuous exceptforsuch irregularity as may be required for forming a seam or join as described, and means for rotating and reciprocating the camcylinder.

6. In a circular-knitting machine a camcylinder of two parts one vertically over the other, each carrying a set of needle-actuating cams and capable of being ten'iporarily fastened together with the cams either upon the same or opposite sides of the can'i-cyhnder,

in combination with a needle-cylinder having the needles in two series, a series of long needles on one side and a series of short needles on the other side, the tWo series overlapping one or more needles at each end, and means for rotating and reciprocating the camcylinder.

7. In a circular-lnfitting machine the combination of a needle-cylinder, a series of short needles occupying one side of the needle-cylinder, a series of long needles occupying the other side of the needle-cylinder, one or more short needles at each end of the series of long needles, one or more long needles at each end of the series of short needles, a lower camringsurrounding the lower part of the needlecylinder, a set of cams in such lower camring adapted to act on the butts of the long needles, means for either rotating or reciprocating at pleasure the lower cam -ring, an upper cam-ring placed vertically over the lower cam-ring so that the two shall form one cylinder, the upper cam-ring adapted to be rotated on the lower cam-ring through a halfcirclc, a set of cams in the upper cam-ring adapted to act on the butts of the short needles, means for temporarily fastening the two camrings together either on the same or on opposite sides of the needle-cylinder as may be desired, and two yarncarriers one on each side of the upper cam-ring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT M. PIGEON.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN DoLMAN, R. (J. SNYDER. 

